


Gimlis Final Decision

by ineffablesaltflower



Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, Gimli doesn't want Legolas to be alone in the future, Gimli is old, Legolas is sad, M/M, Sea Longing, They love each other more than anything, Undying Lands, Valinor, mostly Gimlis POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:49:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26916142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ineffablesaltflower/pseuds/ineffablesaltflower
Summary: Legolas longs to go where Gimli can't follow. And at the same time he wants everything but to leave Gimli behind. Gimli knows his days are numbered and that his elf needs to leave. Until Legolas has the ultimative idea. Who said you can't take your dwarf to Valinor?
Relationships: Gimli (Son of Glóin) & Legolas Greenleaf, Gimli (Son of Glóin)/Legolas Greenleaf
Comments: 9
Kudos: 104





	Gimlis Final Decision

**Author's Note:**

> Hey,  
> it's me again. I hope you don't get tired of me already.  
> While I'm working on a new prompt fic, I thought you might enjoy this little thing I wrote a few months ago, but only published on Twitter back then.
> 
> Come talk to me on Twitter about Gimleaf. You can find me on @HaldirsLoth.
> 
> Legolas taking his comfort!dwarf to Valinor? Unmatched power move.
> 
> enjoy.
> 
> xoxo,  
> flower.

> Don't you know there's part of me that longs to go  
>  into the unknown?
> 
> Where are you going? Don't leave me alone;   
>  How do I follow you —  
>  into the unknown? 
> 
> _— Frozen_

The dwarf had been searching for Legolas for quite a while by now, the sun was low and a fine breeze of wind moved over the lands and with it, it carried the smell of the sea and the screams of the gulls.

Fall would come soon, but for now the days were still long and warm.

There was no actual need to search for Legolas, for the dwarf knew where he went all too well. Still he moved slower, giving Legolas the time he needed. Like he always did.

The elf sat on a stone, unmoving, eyes staring at something that Gimlis eyes could never catch. The water caught around the stone, drawing forth and back as if it was luring the elf to come along.

Like everytime when they came here, Gimli stepped behind the elf, hand coming up to caress over the soft cheek.

His hands weren't as steady anymore, not like they used to. Auburn hair and beard had slowly turned white, his eyes surely weren't the best anymore either, but the love he held for the elf never ceased. If possible it still grew with time, with every passing day.

And like everytime Legolas leaned into the touch after a while, to acknowledge Gimlis presence, to let him know.

It became worse, Gimli thought. Since the passing of their shared friend and King a few years ago, Legolas' longing had became worse with each year, whenever they visited Arwen and their son. The dwarf knew that he was the only reason for the elf to stay by now, for their journeys had to slow down with time. As much as the dwarf had refused to admit it, age had caught up on him and he was tiring fast and often.

Without a word Gimli sat down next to Legolas, reaching for the elvish hair to open the braids and rebraid it. It was an unspoken routine to comfort them both, no matter if they had just freshly braided the hair in the morning.

As much as Gimli had changed, his elf still looked so young — sometimes Gimli was sure the sight alone could heal him from aging.

They understood each other without words, didn't need to speak to know the other was there.

And yet Gimli knew it was time to speak.

He cradled the elfs head in both of his hands, pressing a soft kiss onto the top of it after he had finished braiding.

Legolas' gaze was still fixed on somewhere far away when Gimli moved to settle down next to him on another stone, but close enough to reach for the elfs hand.

So they sat there for a while, holding hands. And if Legolas grip on the dwarfs hand became a bit tighter, no one mentioned it.

"If you have to go, you must go.", Gimli said after a long while, quietly, as if such words spoken too loud could scare the elf away.

Never had they been more aware of Gimlis mortality than after burying Aragorn, but they had both very succesfully ignored it. His hair had only shown little signs of white strands back then. Not like it did now.

It would not be long anymore, Gimli could feel it in his bones, perhaps a few years at most and he wished for Legolas to find his own kind of peace. For years did he worry that Legolas would fade once the dwarf was gone. And some days he still feared for it. Immortality was a cruel curse and more than once did Gimli understand Arwens decision.

Though Gimli did not know what was worse. To know that he would leave Legolas to his own fate without him being able to do anything or for Legolas to know that Gimli would soon follow their friend.

There weren't many elves left to accompany Legolas throughout the years. Most of them had sailed by now, and those still left were rare to meet.

At the spoken words Legolas head turned so fast, his hair was catching on one of the pointy ears. And Gimli could not stop himself from freeing it. He already expected the outburst that was about to break over him.

"How dare you.", Legolas glared at him and for a moment Gimli was young again and he was reminded of the elf he decided to follow in the fellowship. "How dare you say such thing. How can you believe that I would leave you behind?"

Gimli let out a sigh so deep, that surely the stone beneath him could feel it. One of his hands came up to caress over Legolas' cheek, over the sharp cheekbones he had kissed so often.

"I am old, Legolas. There is no denying anymore. We both know it is time soon for me to leave and go where you cannot follow."

It would be the only time they could not keep their promises. Quiet, spoken words in an overwhelmed moment of rushed love, the promises to go wherever the other would go, to follow, always.

The hurt look on his elfs face nearly tore him apart, and once again he worried that Legolas would die of grief, that he would fade. Gimlis only hope was for Legolas to leave, to sail and to meet some of his elvish friends again.

Unfortunately they could both be incredibly stubborn if needed. Legolas' head came to a rest on the dwarfs shoulder, as if he was simply exhausted from the little outburst. But Gimli knew better. It was a whole different exhaustion that shook his poor elf.

Poor, stubborn elf. Too stubborn to leave.

Gimlis arms came up to hold the elf close to his chest, one delicate elvish hand buried in his beard. Both seeking for comfort once again in each other.

They sat there until the sun touched the water, making way for the night to settle around them.

"Come, laddie.", Gimli whispered, leaving a gentle kiss to his hair. "Come. It is late."

Gimli got up and guided the elf with him, his poor, stubborn elf.

Never did he think that finding his One would result in such a twisted sense of hurt and love. But little did he know that he would find it in an elvish princeling either.

He guided Legolas back to their shelter for the night, away from the waves of the sea, wishing he could do anything to make it easier for Legolas who was torn between love and the longing to sail.

Over their shared dinner and equally shared little kisses, Gimli almost fell asleep, head resting in Legolas' lap. The warmth of the fire and the elf relaxing him.

Careful hands carded through the rough, dwarfish hair and the first time Legolas spoke the words, Gimli nearly missed them.

"Sail with me, meleth nîn.", Legolas whispered so quietly, the wind threatened to carry away the words before they could reach Gimlis ears.

"That's ridiculous.", Gimli grumbled and lifted his head to look at his poor, stubborn elf. "You know it is not allowed."

"I am sure nobody tried before. It could work for all we know or not know."

It seemed like pure life had returned to the elf, his eyes twinkling and shining like they used to.

"Nobody tried before because it is ridiculous.", Gimli stayed almost as stubborn. "A dwarf is not meant to sail."

And with that Gimli ended the discussion with putting his head back onto the elfs lap. Or thought so he did.

"A dwarf was not meant to love an elf either and neither was the elf.", Legolas whispered into his ear, planting the first little seed in Gimlis heart, that maybe — maybe, this wasn't so ridiculous at all.

The following days on their way back to the Glittering Caves Legolas would keep asking Gimli.

In the morning when they woke up and Gimli still insisted that it was too early to talk.

On the road while Gimli was holding on for dear life when Legolas coaxed the horse into a short sprint, the joyous laughter of the elf turning him at least 50 years younger.

During their breaks when Gimli sat down under a tree to enjoy the shadows and have a little nap under the afternoon sun. Legolas would drop onto his knees to bring them onto same eye level, asking him the same question again.

"Sail with me."

He would ask in the evening, when night had fallen and Legolas was curled around the warm body of the dwarf, head resting on his chest as if he had to make sure himself that Gimlis heart was still going strong.

Always the same, hopeful look into his poor, stubborn elfs eyes.

And one night Gimli would bring up his hand to his elfs face, tracing the fine features he came to love so much.

"I wish I could.", he muttered quietly, knowing that deep in his heart it was true. The dwarf was not eager to die, not at all. Sometimes he thought that maybe it would help if he simply refused to die.

Legolas took that as a yes enough to develop a plan and mostly fell into silence that seemed to stretch for the rest of the journey. Gimli did not complain, for that meant he could watch the elf a little more without being caught.

( or well, he could pretend not to be caught. After so many years they both knew each other all too well. And that meant he knew that Legolas knew and Legolas knew that Gimli liked to watch him. Why would the dwarf deny himself to watch the most beautiful creature anyway? )

When they arrived at the Glittering Caves, Gimli reached for Legolas' hand and lead him inside again. It had became their routine, their own little ritual to marvel at the beauty again every time they came here.

Only this time Gimli didn't stare at the wonders of the caves he had seen so often already. With the past few years he had developed the habit of watching Legolas' face while entering the caves. And this time Gimli only paid attention to the elfs face.

How his eyes light up every time they come across a new set of shiny stones, how those eyes became Gimlis very personal jewels, so precious and wonderful. If the dwarf had to choose to look at something for the rest of his life, it would be Legolas' eyes, the fine features of his face, the fair hair which was braided into a wonderful mix of dwarfish and elvish braids.

He may have grown old but Legolas still looked so young, so ethereal, illuminated by the fire and the light of the cave.

His greatest treasure of his life would always be the elf.

Slowly he moved to sit down on a bench of stone with a set of creaking bones, the elf immediately following and dropping onto the ground, so he could rest his head on the dwarfs lap.

A movement which came so naturally to them by now, something they had always done when arriving together. Just sitting there, enjoying the light and cooler air of caves.

Rough, calloused hands immediately coming up to card through the blonde hair, sometimes tracing softly over the sharp outline of the pointy ear. Just enough to run a teasing shiver down the elfs spine.

They had played this game so many times over the past years. When Gimli was younger he would tease Legolas like that until the elf would lose his countenance and pull him into their rooms in the cave.

But for now it was not a game, just a simple gesture as if the dwarf would want to remember the elfs features for when he would be gone.

"Sail with me.", Legolas whispered into the depth of the Glittering Caves, into the deafening silence of the underground, face hiding in the dwarfs lap.

Gimli learned over the past years of their traveling, of their shared lives that when Legolas wanted something, he would get it. And that the dwarf was the last thing to deny him anything. Especially if it meant happiness for the elf.

But dwarves were not meant to sail and especially were they not meant to sail to the Undying Lands.

Dwarves were made for stone and caves and not for water. The sea had no appeal to Gimli.

But perhaps — perhaps.

"The last boat left ages ago.", Gimli reminded him softly.

"Many of the others sailed after with their own ships.", Legolas held against and looked up, straight into the dark, dwarfish eyes /he/ came to love so much.

Gimlis face was cradled into the lithe hands so tenderly, his heart surely skipped a beat, still, after all those years of being together.

"And what do you want to tell me with such, elf?"

"That I am going to build us a ship.", Legolas face lit up at the pure thought, as if he just had the very best idea. And perhaps in the elfs eyes it was the very best idea.

"Mahal, help me. The elf wants to build a boat.", Gimli grumbled, way too soft, too loving for the words to come around as mean.

Legolas only laughed, bringing their lips together into a fierce kiss. As if the possibility of Gimli finally agreeing brought new life into the elvish body and soul.

So their journey to the Glittering Caves would be the last. Gimli passed on the lordship, making sure the caves were in good hands. They did not tell anybody, but everybody could feel that this would be the last time the two walked through the entrance of the Caves.

They travelled further, one last time through the forests, so Legolas' could bit his own goodbye.

Though the heaviness of the goodbyes could not hold back the joy which was still mirroring in Legolas' eyes. He was eager to leave so he could start building the ship.

Perhaps the elf was scared of Gimli leaving this world too fast, before they could leave. Or perhaps he was scared of Gimli changing his mind.

Not once did the dwarf say again how ridiculous this was. But neither did he ever really agree in words, he just went along with Legolas, helped him a few times with the ship.

Perhaps Legolas was scared, Gimli would say no in the last minute if he only took too long.

The Queen had come to say goodbye as well when the words of an elf and a dwarf building a ship had reached her ears.

With every passing day and every goodbye it all became more real than it already was.

And with another setting and rising of the sun and another sleepless night for the elf, Legolas dropped down next to Gimlis bedroll in the morning.

All messed up hair, such a rare and yet welcoming sight for the dwarf and eyes so warm and full of excitement, Gimli did not find the heart to complain about being woken so early.

"Sail with me, Gimli.", Legolas nearly begged without any further words.

Gimli reached up with his old, shaking hand and touched the messy hair, the worn out beads the elf carried in his hair ever since the wedding. He even still wore the first bead Gimli ever made him. Legolas had always carried the beads and dwarfish braids so proudly and again Gimli was overwhelmed with the love he felt for his elf.

"Gimli.", Legolas' voice broke at the edges, eyes frantically searching for something in the dwarfs face and eyes. Only then did Gimli realize that he owed him an answer, that his poor, stubborn elf was still waiting for him.

Where you go, I go. Always.

That was their promise. No matter how hard it was during their differences, no matter how hard they fought sometimes. They never broke the promise. Did one leave out of spite after a fight, the other followed nonetheless.

Gimli reached up with both of his hands now, bringing their foreheads together with a bit more force, all the dwarfish way.

"Where you go, I go. I would follow you to the end of the world and beyond.", Gimli reminded him quietly then, only now realizing that there was never doubt in his heart.

That he did not have to think about an answer, because it was clear all along. Where Legolas went, he followed. And if it was into the Undying Lands, so he will.

Gimli did not see it as their great, last adventure. Perhaps over there would wait another set of adventures for them. Places to discover and build together.

It was more like another first adventure into a land Gimli did not know anything about.

He fully knew that it meant for him to stay with elves, he would not speak or see his own kin again. Most likely would he be the only dwarf that walked and would ever walk over the lands.

But what was the dull pain of being parted from his kin compared to the love for Legolas?

Their lips found together into a searing kiss, one last time loving each other under the rising sun.

One last time Gimli watched the elf falling apart in this world under his mouth and hands, hair spilled like a halo.

One last time did Gimli whisper loving words of endearment in the tongue of dwarves into an elvish ear.

So many last times, but Gimli knew that these were followed by so many more first times.

It was not hard at all to decide when Legolas reached for the dwarfs hand and stepped onto the ship.

The journey itself was followed by many storms and an equally quiet sea after. More than one time Gimli held on for dear life and perhaps he claimed that one or two grey hair would surely result from this journey and not be his fault at all.

But Legolas would throw his head back in laughter and reach for Gimlis beard, telling him just how much he loved every strand and every grey hair.

On the third day of their journey, the sea was quiet. Almost silent. The atmosphere had shifted throughout the night enough for even the dwarf to notice.

Nothing could prepare him for Legolas' face to appear in his sight, a sight that was so clear, he had to blink. A sight so clear like he used to have. Every sharp detail of the elf, every outline, every blonde hair catching the light was crystal clear.

His hand was steady when he brushed the tickling hair back when Legolas leaned over him.

Nothing could prepare him for delicate elvish hands carding through hair and a beard in every known or unknown shade of auburn and ginger. Kissed by fire like it used to be.

Nothing could prepare him for the newly found strength in his arms when he dared to pull Legolas close in a rather bold kiss.

And nothing, absolutely nothing could prepare him for his elf crying and laughing at the same time, finding himself joining only a few moments later.

( Though he would and will deny it for all eternity that he spilled so much like a single tear out of sheer joy. )

When the ship finally was washed against the shore with a low sound, Legolas pulled Gimli up, helping him out of the ship again.

The sand was warm beneath their feet, Gimli knew with certainty, without taking off his shoes.

Their hands did not release their grip once.

Perhaps when they stumbled, and could not tell who pulled who along while landing together in the sand, then it did not matter anymore that they were an elf and a dwarf, for their hearts found a beat together again, even in these new surroundings.

And perhaps if a thousand year old elf and a hundreds of years old dwarf chuckled like a young darrow and elf about the fact, that Legolas managed to literally sneak him into the Undying Lands, well, nobody but them could tell.

( And if the Lady Galadriel had a saying or two for them to arrive safely and in peace, and especially for Gimli to be allowed to stay, she surely told no one. )

If one might look close enough, a dwarf with elvish braids and an elf with dwarfish braids would be discovered traveling through the Undying Lands, for they did not plan to stop seeing the World.

If some might ask about his secret in a thousand of years, he would simply reach for his elfs hand, a low laughter rumbling through his chest as he claimed, the secret was to simply love an elf, which was as close as simply refusing to die.

> So lately, been wondering,  
>  who will be there to take my place.  
>  When I'm gone, you'll need love to light the shadows on your face.
> 
> If a great wave shall fall and fall upon us all;  
>  Then between the sand and stone, could you make it on your own.
> 
> If I could, then I would,  
>  I'll go wherever you will go.  
>  Way up high or down low, I'll go wherever you will go.
> 
> I know now, just quite how;  
>  my life and love might still go on.   
>  In your heart, in your mind, I'll stay with you for all of time.
> 
> _— Wherever You Will Go - The Calling._

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for all of your lovely feedback. I could cry every time someone tells me they like what I write. I love y'all.


End file.
